Christopher Jones
Legions of Gotham Police Officer
Member of the Bat-Comic Industry
Batman Strikes Artist Christopher Jones, Causing Minor Injuries.
Posts: 231
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Post by Christopher Jones on Dec 28, 2006 15:09:57 GMT -5
Wow, it's been quiet here lately. I hope it's due to everyone having a fantastic time over the holidays!
To stir things up around here, I thought I'd pose a question: What were your first Batman "experiences" that got you hooked on the character? Not the more recent stuff that you did or didn't like, but the stuff that first made you a Bat-fan.
I grew up on Batman comics from the late 60's and early 70's (I was born in 1969 and inherited a few comics from older siblings, even though they weren't comics fans like I am). I love the Bob Haney/Jim Aparo stories from Brave and the Bold, and Denny O'Neil/Neal Adams & Steve Englehart/Marshall Rogers from the 1970s are hard to beat. I'm lucky enough to have met the latter four of those gentlemen at conventions in later years.
I also obsessively loved the Adam West series from the 1960s. I loved it when I was too young to recognize it as camp, then went through a phase when I HATED the show because I realized it was MAKING FUN of my beloved BATMAN. Then I got older still and realized that a lot of it was pretty damn funny. Well, that first season and the movie at least!
How about anyone else? What was the stuff that got made you a Batman FAN?
And if anyone has read the latest issue of Batman Strikes and wants to comment on it, I wouldn't stop you...
Chris
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Post by Jack-Ups on Dec 28, 2006 16:50:39 GMT -5
No ,lol it has been a little quite lately but thats because of the mad christmas rush. Hmm,what made me a Bat-fan,I suppose really that it was a number of things but mainly still the Batman:the animated series,I kid growing up watching cartoons ,and Batman with my parents managing impossibly to get most of the toys ,that was proberly the main thing,but then I discovered the comics when I was a spiderman reader,I got a bit bored of spiderman and wanted a darker character more scary violent world so I picked up the no man's land and soon discoverde myself pulled back into the cartoons and digging the toys out the attic again,
I must say I love the Batman not due to the fact that it is a new Batman cartton but because it got my little brother finally into Batman(which I had been trying to do for ages) and soon I found him being able to anwser quistions I couldent due to his religous ceromony of being able to get up and wathc the Batman.
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Post by All Star Batman on Dec 28, 2006 22:15:43 GMT -5
I think what really got me into Batman was really the original animated series. This is probably mostly everyone's way of getting hooked. Also, I used to watch some marathons they used to show of the 60s show, and I pretty muched loved that too. And let us not forget the movies. When I was young, I loved all the Batman movies (keep in mind, I'm talking 6 here). I was really addicted, I probably got 100-1000 Batman toys. Though I never really got into comics.
Later on I started to lose interest in Batman. Now I still liked Batman, but not as much as I used too. This is also the time where I would once in a while just skim over a Batman comic at the comic store. It wasn't really until 2004, when The Batman premiered that Batman got my interest back. Also, I heard of a new Batman movie which was to be a prequel. From the early pictures I saw, I didn't think it would be that good. Later on, I really opened my eyes and saw the things wrong with the other Batman movies and realized Batman was supposed to a dark avenger, not like all the other heroes (and that's also when I realized how horrible Batman and Robin was). So after preview after preview for Batman Begins, I couldn't wait.
On the dawn of 2005, I finally found LoG and of course found it to be a brilliant website. Then in June, when Batman Begins premiered, my interest in Batman once again skyrocketed and I finally decided to join LoG.
Wow, that was long.
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rlissau
Legions of Gotham Police Officer
Member of the Bat-Comic Industry
Posts: 130
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Post by rlissau on Dec 29, 2006 11:46:51 GMT -5
Man, I feel old when I read about people growing up with Batman: The Animated Series. I fell for Batman and all things superheroic as a toddler because of my paternal grandfather, who would tell me made-up bedtime stories of Superman battling various villains in Metropolis, and my maternal grandfather, with whom I would play Batman and Robin. (I was always Batman.) It was the 1970s, and I was an avid viewer of the Batman TV show and the B&W reruns of the 1950s Superman show. I didn't get my first Batman comic book -- or any superhero comic, for that matter -- until the early 1980s. I still own it and would never part with it: Brave and the Bold #184, featuring Batman and the Earth-2 Huntress. It's brilliant and remains one of my favorite covers. And it hooked me for life. To think that, years later, I'm writing Batman stories amazes me.
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Post by Blackgate on Dec 30, 2006 14:06:53 GMT -5
Well for i always liked batman growing up, but was never an all out fan that i am now. Id watch the BTAS growing up, when TNBA started airing i got really into all the villains and that sparked an interest. I started renting the 90's movies and then when the Batman came on and Batman Begins hit theaters and thats when i really got hooked.
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Post by Batlaw on Dec 31, 2006 13:21:19 GMT -5
Its funny, I honestly cannot remember a time in my life when I didnt know and love Batman. From my earliest childhood memories to now. What put this character (and all super heroes for that matter) in my conscious mind and caused or enabled him to become so in-bedded in my life is a complete mystery to me? Its the same way with wanting to be a cop. I cant remember anything different for my first memories. At least a degree of that I know I can trace to my Father. But Batman and Superheroes I have no idea.
I vividly remember watching the Adam West TV show in re-runs. It would air weekdays after school and I would do whatever I could to get my mom to rush me home to catch it. Funny, although I didn't "get it", even then I knew it wasn't serious and I wished it were played "straight". But as a child I could pick and choose what elements of it I wanted to believe.
I remember comics and know I flipped through them at an early age but didn't care for reading them till later. I hated reading (to this day I cant really get into novels) so I praise comic books for enhancing my overall literacy.
I clearly remember loving the Superfriends and the other old Batman cartoons. I would play Superfriends with some other kids at recess and would always try to be Batman. I also remember as with the Adam West show, that Batman was not as silly and weak as he was shown on Superfriends and wished he was more serious lol.
I remember a pretty early childhood memory of mine where the "Avon Lady" (if you remember them?) came to the house. I was sitting with her on the couch and she was showing me a couple of child's hair brushes my mom said she would order. One was Superman and the other Batman. Both heroes were in essentially the same pose, which for Superman, looked like he was "taking flight". I asked the lady why was Batman posed like Superman and she said because he was "flying". I had to correct her that BATMAN DOESNT FLY! lol (btw, I chose the Batman one and though it's beat up, I still have it today)
I remember the Capt. Marvel and Spiderman tv shows and the Capt. America tv movies and going to see Superman the Movie and Superman 2 with my mom. I remember for years debating who I liked "most"... Capt. America, Batman, or Capt. Marvel? I think even for a while I mightve said Shazam? How is it that Batman took over? I have no idea.
I remember probably my first big expensive toy purchase was big posable Batman doll with cloth costume and magnets on his hands and feet. I think it was a Mego brand figure? (damaged now but still in my possession). I also remember replacing some small Batman action figure a few times (I wish I knew what its was but dont think Ive ever seen them since?). I remember the Superpowers toys and not having money for them and being angry I never could find a Batman. I used to play on the front porch with my Corgi tv show Batmobile (went through plenty of them).
When I was sick, and my parents would aske if I wanted anything from the store, is when I would usually get comics (back when they were mainly found at newspaper stands, grocery and convenience stores). I would get all kinds and for whatever reason, I kept them. I enjoyed periodically going back and flipping through them looking at the cool art.
As I got older (into my teens) I started reading the comics more thoroughly and actively seeking them out and buying them when possible. My parents worked for convenience stores off and on and I spent a lot of time hanging out which gave me unlimited access to many comics.
I had a little shelf in my room maybe two feet high, I remember saving and stacking all my comics there. I imagined how cool it would be if I could get enough books to stack and fill the whole thing? (woo hoo a 2ft stack of comics lol). I thought it was pretty neat when I finally reached that goal.
I remember going to a bookstore in the local mall and discovering graphic novels and one shots. I was blown away! I think that was the moment my comic reading/collecting really took off. (Until I later discovered my first actual Comic Book Store!)
Nobody in my life then or now has ever been in any way into comics or super heroes Etc. I would love to know how and why it all somehow grabbed me. And what about Batman struck a chord or appealed to me at such a young age? I'll never know I guess.
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Post by ??The Riddler?? on Dec 31, 2006 16:28:52 GMT -5
[shadow=green,left,300] Good question Chris and thanks for sharing your experience with us. Well, I first witnessed Batman when my mother bought a Riddler BTAS VHS tape. I was three at the time and my brother and I watched, it's funny that Riddler was the first villain I witnessed... I guess that's why I love him so much today lol. Anyway, I also remember my aunt taking me to the films... my mom and dad allowed me to watch the Tim Burton films with my older brother. My mom would buy us BTAS figures and I remember getting my first Riddler figure, he's a bit out of shape but I owe it to that character for bringing my love of Batman back to me. I watched all forms of Batman including, Mask of The Phantasm. I remember watching TNBA as well, one of the most memorable moments of Batman in my childhood is watching Batman Beyond: Return of The Joker, I loved that movie and I was kind of scared of Joker lol. I caught some re-runs of the 1966 Batman show on Tv Land, I still loved Riddler the best, I mean you have to admit he had some pretty good episodes. John Astin was okay, I just couldn't get over the fact it's Gomez in a Riddler suit and when was the last time Riddler grew a mustache lol. I remember watching the Superfriends as well, I loved that show... although The Wonder Twins were annoying at times it was funny to see them turn into things such as a bucket of water lol. Batman has been a huge part of my childhood but I think the biggest impact were the movies by Joel, I loved Jim Carrey as Riddler... I watch the films for a good laugh and it's kind of funny seeing that I know Riddler's personality alot better I have to say Jim was a bit too wild for the role. I think of Riddler as John Glover did him. But I have to say I finally had my wish fulfilled in the end, I always wanted to meet a Riddler and not only have I but he's very kind and has become my friend and favourite actor. ;D [/shadow]
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Post by arkhaminmate on Jan 1, 2007 13:37:04 GMT -5
Honestly, I can't remember not knowing who Batman is. It's one of those things that's always been burnt into my brain. I remember quite vividely Batman swooping down on the rooftop to beat the hell outa some thugs, & leaving them for the cops, then the episode was Christmas with the Joker, I was totally hooked. I was completely obssessed from then on. I think that was my first exposure that scarred me for life. After that I started collecting the figures, I had most of the TNBA line including the Mission Masters. As much as I loved the Batman figures & the villians I would occaisionally find, I wanted more. LOTS more. That's when I discovered comics. I remember my first issue was Batman #359 with an awesome cover by Giordano, with Croc in the focus surrounded my multiple villians. So now, not only am I addicted to the best character in the world, but I have an uncontrollable compulsion to collect comic books.
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Post by BullocK on Jan 1, 2007 16:49:16 GMT -5
Even as a young child, I knew who Batman was. I had watched the Superfriends, & the 60's series. I had even played with the Super Powers toys. What really kicked started my being a fan was in 1989. For anyone who didn't live through that year, I really don't know if my explaination will do it justice.
It was amazing.
Batman was EVERYWHERE. Honestly, you couldn't go anywhere without seeing the Batsymbol...whether it be the grocery store, the mall, the barber shop (I remember seeing quite a few people get the batemblem shaved into the back of their heads), or school. By 1989 Batman was already an established piece of Americana, but that summer only cinched it even more.
Like I said earlier, I'm afraid my words just don't do that year justice. But for those of us who were alive and well in 89, and were able to experience everything that year had to offer, it is something that we as Bat-fans will never forget.
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Post by catsewing on Jan 7, 2007 9:02:02 GMT -5
My first Batman encounter will have to be the tv series as a kid, but I truly became a fan with Batman the animated series. I still remember waking up at 8 in the morning to watch it on tv Saturdays. I guess I find Batman the most endering because he's the only superhero without any superpowers, totally relying on his guts and wits and also Batman has the most interesting group of baddies, no?
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